


The Composer

by ReiaAiannaia



Series: The Extravagant Challenge (Anthology) [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-27
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-22 20:52:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/614211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReiaAiannaia/pseuds/ReiaAiannaia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Behind every singer's successful song is a composer.  AU. Skip Beat! inspired.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 1

"Tadai—" he begins but immediately stops upon the sound that welcomes him home that night. It is something he hasn't heard in a very long while.

Silently, as if in a trance he follows the sound until arriving on the threshold to the kitchen. A ghost of smile touches his lips at the sight of her, sitting on a high stool with her back facing the entrance as she strum on his guitar  _and_  sing. He cannot remember the last time he heard her sing.

Then she pauses, grabs a pencil from the breakfast nook next to her and scribbles on a piece of paper before she started playing again. Her voice is quiet as she sings delicately. But the music doesn't last long because she starts to write furiously again.

When she plays again, he finally recognises the song as one of his incomplete compositions. It is then he makes his presence known.

"Sakura."

She jumps to her feet and the guitar almost crashes to the floor if not for her quick reflexes.

"Sasuke-kun. Okaeri."

"Hn."

He walks over to her and picks the music sheet she has been working on from atop the breakfast nook. It was one of his unfinished compositions. And his eyes widen slightly as he looks at it, though he knows he should hardly be surprised. There are writings all over—corrections, additions, notes—and suddenly, he feels ashamed of himself. Between the two of them, he is the one pursuing a professional singing career but seeing all the notes she has written makes him realise he still has long ways to go. Because after all these years, despite her dream-crippling condition, she is still better at this than he ever will be.

"I'm sorry," she begins to stammer; clutching his acoustic guitar—the one she gave him on his twelfth birthday—against her chest tightly. He ignores his sudden irrational urge to rip the instrument away from her.

"I didn't mean to, uh, ruin it," she continues, "I saw it under your bed while cleaning and it looked really good. Has lots of potential. But it was incomplete. Then I got carried away. I didn't really—"

"Sakura," her name from his lips halts her dialogue and a blush paints her cheeks when she realized she was rambling _again_.

"This is really good," he tells her the truth because she deserves the compliment, "do you mind if I release this as my new single?"

Green eyes widen and her lips part, momentarily speechless before she stammers again, "why, why are you asking me? It's yours. You..."

"You're the one who's almost finished it," he hands her back the music sheet.

"But it's not done yet."

"Then work on it and I'll make dinner," he tells her as he puts a frying pan on the stove.

He hears her gasp behind him. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke-kun. I didn't know you were coming and I got caught up with this."

"It's fine," he says dismissively, "you don't have to apologise for everything."

Because he is the one at fault. He is the one who just comes home whenever he pleases. He is the one who brought her here and leaves her by herself. But he isn't sorry, nor does he regret anything. If he had left her, she'd probably be wearing a ring around her left ring finger by now.

tbc.


	2. 2

"Will you come with me?" he asked her.

It wasn't a marriage proposal. At that time, however, it might as well be.

* * *

 

Uchiha Sasuke's road to stardom wasn't smooth and short. And in the months that followed their arrival in Tokyo, they had a taste of poverty—something both had never experienced.

Having just finished middle school when they ran away from their hometown, they had very little savings with them. Sasuke's credit card was immediately cancelled by his parents as soon as they realized he left while the money she saved from her allowance was just enough to pay a couple of weeks' worth of rent for the shabby single room they first stayed in.

Food was another problem. And if Sasuke wanted to enter the showbiz industry he needed to be fit and maintain his appearance—he was handsome enough to be a scouted but malnutrition could ruin his chances.

And so, while Sasuke pursued his career and passion, Sakura looked for a job. Luckily despite her lac of work experience, she was hired at the fruit stand near their apartment. But...when she came home that night bouncing with excitement and happiness, and announced to her childhood friend that she got a job, he didn't look happy at all (if his scowl was any indication).

As a matter of fact, the news seemed to only make him desperate. He'd come home late every night very tired and leave the house early without even having breakfast.

More often than not, Sakura would be reminded of all she sacrificed to be with Sasuke whenever she'd see girls her age wearing school uniforms. But as much as she wanted to pursue her dream profession as a doctor, she did not regret coming with her childhood friend.

It wasn't until Sasuke started training under Sound Entertainment about two months later that things started to look up for them.

But that didn't stop her from getting another job. Because he was still a trainee and that wasn't enough reassurance.

Then after six gruelling months, Sasuke finally released his first single and made a name in the showbiz world.

* * *

 

The name Uchiha Sasuke grew to be a prominent name on the lips of many people, especially among women. But his growing popularity while accompanied with promise of good fortune—

They moved to a luxurious penthouse in the heart of the central business district he bought. Sasuke made her quit all her part-time jobs and even sent her to a private school.

—also meant lesser time to actually be with him.

He rarely ever went home anymore ever since releasing his first single. He had become very busy with guest appearances, recording, autograph signing (he always complained about), photo shoots and all those other jazz celebrities do.

And so, she learned to content herself to listening to the radio waiting for one of his songs to be played and watching the television where he would make a guest appearance at one of the shows.

But even so, every night she'd still wait for him.

Tbc.


	3. 3

Ever since his schedule has gotten busier, Sasuke started staying over the company accommodation more and going home to the penthouse he shares with Sakura (and bought so she would stop working double jobs to pay the rent). But he doesn't feel comfortable leaving Sakura by herself for long periods of time so he always makes an effort to drop by the penthouse at least once a month just to check up on her. Of course she doesn't fail to send him morning greetings and leaving him voice messages every night.

Hearing her voice and seeing her in flesh are two different things though. And as paranoid it might sound, the text messages could've been sent by someone else using her phone and the voice messages—well, maybe it'd be impossible to replicate her voice but with today's technology everything impossible seemed possible.

To be honest, while he will probably admit this out loud, he can't help but worry. He knows  _they_ 're looking for her. After all he took her away just before she turned sixteen. Just before  _they_ could betroth her to some spoiled brat heir.

"Sasuke-kun," the sound of his name brings him out of his thoughts and he is back again the president's office, where he is discussing the release of his latest single—the song Sakura finished composing for him.

He raises an eyebrow at his employer, the president of Sound Entertainment, Orochimaru, who only gives him a smile.

"I said that the director for music video is meeting with us tomorrow morning."

"Hn."

Snake-like eyes scrutinise him before the older man continued.

"But of course Kabuto has already informed of you that. What I truly want to discuss with you is the Other composer you mentioned."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, afraid where the direction of this conversation is heading.

"What about it?" he tries to act nonchalant but wherever Sakura is concerned—

"I'd like to scout her. She seems to have... talent."

_Of course she does. If it weren't for her I wouldn't be in this industry at all._

"No," he says firmly in a way he knows even the ruthless Orochimaru won't be able to argue against, "I just want her name in print to give her credit for her work, that's all."

The silence that followed his statement is tense but eventually, the president relented.

* * *

He feels guilty for simply brushing off a once-in-a-lifetime chance for Sakura to enter the industry she has always aspired to since childhood without at least telling her about it but he didn't want to add something to her list of Could Have Been's.

" _I'll be the voice for your compositions..."_

" _One day, I'll become a famous singer and you'd become a famous composer..."_

Even to this day he still remembers the promises he gave her when they only ten years old, when she was diagnosed with voice chord nodules*. Where had all those childhood promises gone? So far he had only been able to keep half of his promises—he part where he'd be a famous singer.

The only missing part is where she'll become a famous composer.

Looking back, her voice chord nodules are actually just a mere excuse to not enter the showbiz scene. It isn't really a dream-crippling condition. It isn't  _the_  dream-crippling hindrance. But something bigger and far more serious.

tbc.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * - inspired from when I read Daesung's wikipedia page.


	4. 4

Title: Exchanging Tomorrow | Lyrics: Uchiha Sasuke, Sakura. | Music: Uchiha Sasuke, Sakura

_Sakura._

Orochimaru knows a threat when he sees one. And right now, he sees a potential threat in a name, ridiculous though it might sound. The name is harmless by itself, of coure. However, it is not lost on him that it is the person carrying it that may possibly pose a problem.

For the eighteen months he has been managing Uchiha Sasuke, never has the boy released a song composed by others. At least not until now. This change, while it brought in millions of yen to the company, must not,  _cannot_  be overlooked.

The fact that the song has been reigning over the music charts in No. 1 for ten weeks upon release is as disturbing as it is an accomplishment. Whoever this Sakura is, is dangerous. Not only because of her musical prowess but also of the apparent hold she has over his company's top money maker.

Remembering the young singer's insistence to acknowledge whoever this Sakura is as one of the composers only ignited his curiosity. Adding how the boy tried to hide her from him.

Mark his words, he will find her, who she is,  _and then_  decide what he'll do with her.

* * *

There are always cameras everywhere, paparazzi greedy for the latest gossip. And the last thing Sakura needs is unwanted publicity. But Sakura deserves to see his first concert as his number one supporter.

With the media flocking around him 24/7 Sasuke knows he can't risk exposing Sakura to the public. Changing her name isn't enough to hide her identity— maybe it is now but for how long?—and he cannot bring himself to suggest she dye her beloved hair memento of her mother a different colour for she has sacrificed enough.

However there is one way Sasuke can bring her to his world without exposing her to the rest of Japan.

Sakura isn't home when he dropped by that afternoon. Sasuke realized only belatedly that she is still at school and won't be home for a couple more hours. It is the first time he went home to an empty house, and the experience somewhat unsettles him. He has become so used to going home to her, who never fails to greet him with a lovely smile.

He wanted to wait for her but Orochimaru scheduled a press conference for him to promote his concert.

So he simply left the envelope on the coffee table.

* * *

When Sakura arrived that night, she's exhausted. The cultural festival is coming up and she's in charge of the budgeting for the Maid Cafe her whole class is going to do. Sakura doesn't mind the responsibility because it gives her something to do, something more than to wait for a boy she isn't sure when he's going home every night. But all the numbers are making her dizzy—she's never been good with maths.

Instead of heading to the kitchen as she usually does to start dinner, Sakura heads to the living room and places the plastic bag on the coffee table before heading to the kitchen to get a bowl, glass of water and chopsticks. She bought takeaway ramen on her way home, too tired to cook, and cooking for herself makes her lonely.

Something white catches her eye and sees a white envelope she is sure wasn't there when she left for school this morning sitting on the table. She takes it in her hand and inspects it. There is no note whatsoever, a bare white envelope but there's something inside.

Carefully she opens it and when she sees the contents, Sakura forgets her dinner and starts looking for her phone excitedly.

Inside the envelope is a VVIP ticket with backstage pass for Sasuke's first concert.

* * *

They don't see each other until the night of the concert. But judging from Sakura's ecstatic voice when she called him the night he dropped the ticket in their apartment, Sasuke knows she is more than pleased and happy. He told her to come two hours earlier so he can talk to her before he starts performing on-stage.

Sasuke is nervous. Tonight is his first concert, the first time he is going to perform in front of such large crowd. It is a sold out concert and so the pressure's on him. 50, 000 sold out tickets. Among those 50, 000 aren't just fans, but also critics, who'd look for the very littlest mishaps to try to ruin him. He knows this. Orochimaru knows this. His crew knows this. Everyone is just as equally nervous as him.

Then she arrives, escorted by one of the backstage crew, dressed in dark skinny jeans and simple red blouse with the black leather jacket he bought for her birthday, and his anxiety is forgotten.

"Sasuke-kun!" she beams at him brightly but she doesn't hug him like he is expecting her to, like he  _wants_  her to.

He doesn't show his disappointment and convinces himself it's for the best. If anyone sees him being touchy-feely with a girl, people might get the wrong idea. Sasuke smirks at her quick thinking.

"Sakura," he says her name not knowing it would be the worst thing he's done in his life.

* * *

Orochimaru observes the pink-haired woman who his money-raker is conversing to—so this is the person who Sasuke got the VVIP ticket for. He didn't think it'd be for a girl. He thought it'd be for a family member, like his mother for example, but  _not_  a girl.

He's never seen the boy interact with any women who tried to get his attention. This girl, whoever she is, is dangerous, he concludes to himself.

Then...

"Sakura," he hears Sasuke say and realisation dawns on him.

This girl is  _the_  Sakura. The composer.

Haruno Sakura doesn't seem intimidating but a deeper look into her would suggest otherwise. It was difficult to find more about her but with the right resources and contacts, nothing really escapes Orochimaru.

Apparently her birth name was Senju Sakura, the illegitimate granddaughter of his good friend Tsunade and unfortunately to the Senju the only offspring of her only son.

Her daughter in law is barren and cannot conceive a child. Adoption had been considered but then again, why adopt when there's already a daughter? A daughter shunned away from the family to avoid public humiliation and thrown in the care of a close family friend, the Uchiha, who runs a prestigious ryoukan in Kyoto.

They decided that on her 16th birthday the poor girl would be engaged to the Hyuuga heir. But something they didn't expect happened.

Sasuke swept her off her feet, under their noses, to Tokyo.

They had been looking for the pink-haired girl since then.

But because the girl began using her mother's name and the fact that Tokyo is no small city, add the fact that Sasuke sends the girl to a private school, they are still in pursuit. The Senju knows the girl is with Sasuke but they have no proof.

A smirk, calculatingly evil, shapes his lips.

Uchiha Sasuke has no room for distraction with the speed and the direction his career is heading. And if the nights he sneaks out of the company apartment, his habit of checking his phone whenever he can, the presence of the intriguing pink-haired lass backstage during his first solo concert are basis enough, the young girl is a huge distraction.

Mind set, he picks up the phone and dialled the numbers he hasn't dialled in a long time.

_This is for your own good, Sasuke-kun._

tbc.

 


End file.
